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Dallas officials say mural honoring fallen cops must be taken down or altered

A mural erected a month ago to honor five law enforcement officers who died in a sniper attack in downtown Dallas violates city code, according to city inspectors

By Jaime Dunaway
Associated Press

DALLAS — A mural erected a month ago to honor five law enforcement officers who died in a sniper attack in downtown Dallas must be taken down or altered because it violates city code, according to city inspectors.

The 8-foot fence on which the mural was painted was built without a permit for metal siding and the fence blocks visibility at a nearby four-way intersection, according to a violation notice issued May 25.

As soon as he received the notice, Cesar Rodriguez, who operates the Last Call Lounge where the mural is erected, applied for a permit to build the fence and use the metal siding and hired workers to move the fence back 3 feet. Rodriguez said the initial project cost about $15,000, and that the alterations cost a further $2,100.

“I’m frustrated because we tried to do something for the police department. We tried to make the neighborhood look a little bit better,” he said. “We feel a little bit sad that we’re doing all this for our city and they don’t see or appreciate that.”

The Dallas Department of Code Compliance confirmed Thursday that a citation was issued, but declined to comment. Inspectors have yet to assess whether the alterations meet compliance standards.

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The painting pays tribute to the five law enforcement officers who were shot to death during an attack at a Black Lives Matter rally in Dallas on July 7, 2016. Flowers, notes and other tokens have been left at the mural regularly since it was unveiled Monday, Rodriguez said.

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